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Illinois High School Track & Field Weekend Highlights - April 8, 2019Published by
Photo – © 2019 Laura Duffy
By Michael Newman
The weather cooperated throughout Illinois on Saturday. While some teams opted for running in SoCal, most teams thought that running in Illinois was okay. There were some great performances from around Illinois. If you want to read about the races at Arcadia involving Illinois runners here. We could not write about every meet. Here are some of the highlights. Downers Grove South Girls Invitational This was a meet where the distance runners were the showcase as some of the top distance teams converged on Downers Grove South High School. The best race of the day came in the 1600 Meter Run. Erin Reidy of Downers Grove South, then Kailey Fox of Yorkville pushed the pace the first three laps of the race. Just before the final lap, Hinsdale Central’s Emma Watcke took over the lead as she stormed down the back stretch. Reidy stayed just a step off her right shoulder until the final 100-meters. Reidy made her move coming off the curve taking the lead. I t appeared that the Downers South junior had the race won. Watcke had one more move as she re-passed Reidy with 50 meters left. The two runners ran side-by side to the finish line were Watcke edged Reidy by seven hundredths of a second with the fastest 1600-meters of the outdoor season (4:59.47 – 4:59.54). Five runners ran 5:07 or faster in the race with Fox finishing third (5:02.57), Katie Hohe of Glenbard West fourth (5:05.14), and Downers Grove South’s Brenna Cohoon fifth (5:06.68). You usually see Alex Morris of Naperville North in either the 1600 Meter Run or 3200 Meter Run in a meet. Morris stepped down a distance to run the 800 Meter Run. She did quite well. Morris stormed to the lead from the start running the first three 200’s in 31, 34 (65), and 34 (1:39). She went on to win the race (2:17.51) ahead of Yorkville’s Helena Kleronomos (2:19.42) and Downers Grove South’s Becky Versaskas (2:20.04). Campbell Petersen of Naperville North ran by herself in the 3200 Meter Run winning the race (10:58.92) ahead of teammate Audrey Mendrys (11:09.38). Yorkville ran the fastest outdoor time in the state in winning the 3200 Meter Relay (9:35.77) ahead of Hinsdale Central (9:38.97). Naperville North’s Halle Bieber won three events to start her outdoor season. She ran 15.81 to easily win the 100 Hurdles, then ran a solo 45.38 to win the 300 Hurdles, and then ended her day by running 26.09 to win the 200 Meter Dash. Dior Nicholson of Hinsdale Central had two performances in the weight events that put her among the top ten in the state. She achieved a personal best of 41-5.5 (IL #7) to win the Shot Put. She came back to throw 133-5 (IL #3) to win the Discus.
Belleville West Boys Invitational The first outdoor meet of the season for Plainfield North’s Marcellus Moore was an eye opener for most of the other sprinters in the state as the defending state champion at 100-meters and 200-meters was a part of three individual wins. Moore took the baton in third on his anchor leg of the 400 Meter Relay. The junior brought his team from behind for a convincing win in the event (42.69) ahead of Mascoutah (43.13). Homewood-Flossmoor, who was disqualified in that race, came back to run a state leading 1:28.59 to win the 800 Meter Relay by more than a second ahead of Plainfield East (1:30.39). Moore was even more dominating in the individual sprints. Moore won the 100 Meter Dash (10.36) with the aid of a 1.5 m/s wind. His time Saturday was just five hundredths of a second off his state meet record breaking time of 10.31 last May. Deonte Mcgoy of Alton (10.61, IL #4) and Jermarrion Stewart of Collinsville (10.68, IL #6) finished second and third. The three runners took part in the 200 Meter Dash that produced the top three times in the state regardless of conditions. Moore’s winning time of 20.89 with a 2.8 m/s wind at his back. Stewart (21.24) and McGoy followed. Robert Williams of Springfield had strong hurdle double win in this meet. Williams ran 14.50 (IL #4, 3.0 m/s) to win the 110 High Hurdles just ahead of Plainfield North’s Kyle Burke (14.73, IL #5) and Lockport’s Ray Holland (14.75). Williams came back to run a state leading 38.69 to win the 300 Intermediate Hurdles. Andrew O’Keefe of Granite City gave us a glimpse of his speed when he won the 1600 Meter Run at Illinois Top Times two weeks ago. He tuned up for Distance Night in Palatine with a strong win in the 800 Meter Run. O’Keefe went out in 56.6 for the first 400-meters on his way to the win in the event running 1:54.97 (IL #2). Minooka’s Jason Hoffman ran 1:57.73 (IL #3) to finish second. The Triple Jump was a battle between the state’s top two athletes in this discipline. In a wind-aided event, Quinton Stringfellow of Homewood-Flossmoor jumped 48.5 (2.1 m/s) to win the event with Andra Ward of Cahokia jumping 47-10.50 (IL #2, 2.1 m/s) finishing second. The Long Jump produce four top ten state performances. Kenyon Johnson of Edwardsville had a wind legal 22-6 effort (IL #4) to win the event just ahead of Minooka’s DaVonte Welcher who jumped 22-5 (IL #5, 2.2 m/s).
Wheaton North Best Four Meet Weather conditions were almost perfect in the Chicago area producing some fast sprint times similar to what we saw downstate at Belleville. Three of the top five times at 100-meters were produced in this meet. There was no wind-gauge to measure the wind, but the times were awfully fast! Cedric Rowzee of Wheaton-Warrenville South led the charge in that race running 10.45 (IL #2) to finish ahead of Adam Wiatr of Lake Park (10.60, IL #3) and Tyquan Cox of Glenbard West (10.66, IL #5). Rowzee came back to run 22.18 to win the 200 Meter Dash. He was also a part of South’s winning 400 Meter Relay (43.68) ahead of Glenbard West (43.76). Rory Cavan of Glenbard West ran away with the win in the 1600 Meter Run with the state’s fastest time of 4:16.18. Naperville Central’s Thomas Shilgalis (4:25.05) and William Hauenstein of Wheaton-Warrenville South (4:29.25) were next. Josh James of Wheaton North showed why he will be one of the top 3A hurdlers. James ran 14.49 (IL #3) to win the 110 High Hurdles and then came back to run 40.45 to win the B level race in the 300 Intermediate Hurdles. His teammate Eli Odell won the “A-level” race (40.25).
Thornridge’s “Blue Smoke” Invitational If you were looking for some fast sprint performances, this meet at Thornridge was a place to be. Victor Cameron of Crete-Monee ran a state leading 14.01 to win the 110 High Hurdles. Cameron won that race by almost two seconds! Cameron came back to run 39.69 (IL #5) to win the 300 Intermediate Hurdles. Crete-Monee’s Ricky Johnson won a close 100 Meter Dash. Johnson ran 10.95 for the win ahead of Thornridge’s Leondre Pollard (11.02). Pollard ran 21.91 (IL #4) to win the 200 Meter Dash ahead of Crete-Monee’s Kavon Jones (22.01, IL #6). Thornridge and Crete-Monee produced two of the top times in the 400 Meter Relay. Thornridge had the edge (42.12, IL #3) by just eight hundredths of a second ahead of Crete-Monee (42.20, IL #4). Davon Bolden of Thornridge ran 49.26 (IL #2) to win the 40 0 Meter Dash just ahead of Crete-Monee’s Johnson (49.40, IL #5).
Jackie-Joyner Kersee/Al Joyner ESL Classic Serena Bolden of Springfield Southeast picked up two individual wins in her first outdoor meet of the season. Bolden ran 12.25 (IL #2) to win the 100 Meter Dash. Bolden also was victorious in the Long Jump as she had a 19-5.5 (IL #2) best. Veronica Sherrod of East St. Louis-Senior ran the state’s fastest time in the 300 Hurdles running 44.22 for the win. Shanisa Stinson of South Shore ran 45.96 to finish second. East St. Louis-Senior’s Boys team continued to impress early in this outdoor season. Their quartet in the 400 Meter Relay ran 42.06 for the win ahead of Cardinal Ritter. Cardinal Ritter switched places in the 1600 Meter Relay as they ran 3:23.04 for the win ahead of East St. Louis-Senior (3:23.88). Willie Johnson won the 400 Meter Dash just missing going under 48-seconds (48.07). Cardinal Ritter’s Jameson Williams was a double winner running 10.87 to win the 100 Meter Dash and 21.99 to win the 200 Meter Dash.
Metea Valley Girls Invitational Batavia’s Katrina Schlenker looked impressive in winning two individual races in this meet. The freshman started by running 2:15.21 (IL #3) to win the 800 Meter Run ahead of Oswego’s Isabelle Christensen (2:19.12, IL #9). Schlenker came back to run 5:02.00 (IL #3) to win the 1600 Meter Run with Alice Abbott of St. Charles East finishing second (5:08.61, IL #9). New Trier’s Marne Sullivan ran 58.95 (IL #6) to win the 400 Meter Dash. Jenelle Rogers of Oswego started out her season to clear 5-5 (IL #4) to win the High Jump.
Lincoln-Way Central Girls Knights Invitational Some great top state performances came from this small six team meet. Providence Catholic’s Samantha Spencer started her outdoor campaign by clearing a state leading 12-6 to win the Pole Vault. Spencer went to the track where she ran 12.55 to win the 100 Meter Dash ahead of Glenbrook South’s Raelyn Roberson (12.86). Earlier in the meet, Roberson jumped 19-3 (IL #3) to win the Long Jump. Taylor Wright of Lincoln-Way East had a good meet started by jumping 18-2 (IL #4) to finish second in the Long Jump. Wright also ran 25.61 (IL #2) to win the 200 Meter Dash. Her teammate Kate Sciarini had a good meet in the hurdles running 15.41 (IL #8) to win the 100 Hurdles. She came back to run 45.77 (IL #4) to win the 300 Hurdles. Lauren Hayes of Glenbrook South was a double winner in the distance events. Hayes ran 2:19.62 to win the 800 Meter Run ahead of Lincoln-Way East’s Ashley Mills (2:22.41). Hayes also ran 5:22.71 to win the 1600 Meter Run with Lincoln-Way Central’s Mackenzie Brownrigg finishing second.
Mikias Tibebu Invitational @ Schaumburg Less than a second separated the top two runners in the 1600 Meter Run. Neuqua Valley’s Michael Madiol ran a personal best 4:21.55 (IL #2) for the win just ahead of Maine South’s Joey Kasch (4:22.18, IL #3). Neuqua Valley’s Matthew Appel was a double winner in the weight events. The junior had a 55-0 best (IL #6) to win the Shot Put ahead of Maine South’s Peter Skoronski (54-6.5, IL #8). Appel came back to throw 152-4 to win the Discus. Neuqua Valley’s all-state hurdler Donovan Turner did not compete in this meet due to an injury that occurred in a dual meet against York on April 3. Turner pulled up in the last 30-meters of the 400 Meter Relay holding his hamstring. The status of his return to competition as of today is unknown.
Deerfield Invitational The focus on this meet was on Deerfield weight man Sam Liokumovich as he put up two great performances. He started with a state leading 62-3 to win the Shot Put. He came to throw 180-9 (IL #2) to win the Discus ahead of teammate Henry Boudreau (162-8, IL #9). Grant Community’s Jason Thormo was a double winner. The defending 3A champion at 400-meters won that event (49.34, IL #4) and then ran 22.71 to win the 200 Meter Dash.
Shelbyville Girls Open Monticello’s Emelia Ness had a good meet running 15.56 to win the 100 Hurdles and 46.54 to win the 300 Hurdles. Her teammate Rachel Koon set a new school record as she ran 11:21.89 to win the 3200 Meter Run ahead of Pleasant Plains’ Caroline Jachino (11:40.78). Koon finished third in the 1600 Meter Run (5:21.41) finishing behind race winner Ailey Mitchell of Shelbyville (5:17.17) and teammate Alyssa McPike (5:20.67).
ALAH Invitational @ Arthur-Lovington Kenli Nettles won four individual events on her home track. Nettles cleared a state leading 5-6 to win the High Jump. She then went to the track to run 14.80 (IL #3) to win the 100 Hurdles, run 46.00 (IL #6) to win the 300 Hurdles, and then 26.09 to win the 200 Meter Dash.
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